CANNABIS CAMPAIGN REACHES CRESCENDO

All the indications are that the campaign to legalise cannabis is reaching a worldwide crescendo.

Barely a week goes past without headlines calling for a new approach to drugs policy. Experts agree that reform of drug laws is long overdue and controls on cannabis must be relaxed.

The UK’s war on drugs now costs £19 billion each year with cannabis accounting for at least half of that wasted public money. Studies prove that a further £4-6 billion could be raised annually under a “regulate and tax” regime. British politicians are realising that they can no longer afford to listen to the health scare stories and propaganda. Six million UK citizens use cannabis regularly. Compared with drinkers they face minimal health risks. The ludicrous waste of police resources on closing down cannabis farms can no longer be tolerated.

In California, Proposition 19 will permit cannabis use for over-21s from 2nd November 2010. Arizona and Vermont are also due to become the latest of 16 states to enact medical marijuana legislation. Sativex, the whole plant cannabis extract medicine, was approved in the UK in June.

On the government’s Your Freedom website there was a massive outcry for drug law reform and legalisation of cannabis. Nick Clegg will have to respond shortly or face criticisms of a whitewash or cover up.

The government’s Drugs Strategy consultation ends this month. Although the Home Office is presently talking tough, it would be astonishing if there was not real change when the new Drugs Strategy is published in December. Both David Cameron and Nick Clegg are long time advocates of drug law reform.